People

DAVID OLESON, B.ARCH, OAA, FRAIC

PRINCIPAL

With over 40 years of experience in teaching and practicing architecture, David began his career as a student of architecture at Carnegie-Mellon University. Prior to arriving in Toronto in the early 1970’s, he practiced in both Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico. At Diamond and Myers, David was retained as Project Architect for the firm’s Innis College project at the University of Toronto. He later joined Barton Myers’ own firm as an associate, responsible for such projects as Dundas Sherbourne Housing (early mid-rise infill demonstration project) and the Yorkville Public Library. In 1982, he joined the Webb Zerafa Menkes Housden Partnership to oversee construction of the competition-winning Calgary City Hall, then returned to Toronto as Design Architect for the award-winning Allstate Headquarters in Markham.

In 1984, David co-founded the Oleson Worland partnership. In the years since, the firm has produced a noteworthy body of award-winning work in Toronto, including the Village of Yorkville Park and the North Toronto Memorial Community Centre.

David’s commitment to architecture has extended well beyond the office. He was Chair of the Toronto Society of Architects for two successive terms, and is currently a voluntary member of numerous community design committees. David has been an Adjunct and Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Architecture, Landscape & Design, as well as guest lecturer and critic at the University of Toronto, University of Waterloo, Ryerson Polytechnic University, University of Manitoba, University of Arkansas and George Brown College.

His broad range of experience proves evident in the following list of current OWA projects: the Art Condos, a new Zoroastrian Temple, and Lisgar Park.